A Long and Wonderful Weekend

This past weekend was filled with so much that it’s hard to believe it was only three days long! We started it off with a backyard camp-out with our friends Maya, Shaun and their son Milo. Shaun and Maya and I have been friends for over the past 10 years. It’s been so much fun to experience life together as we grow older and have families.

I met Maya when I was 27 and decided it was time to cut all of my hair off. I hadn’t had a hair cut in 12 years and she was the girl to do it. She works at DiPietro Todd in Mill Valley and is a wonderful stylist. People always stop me to ask who does my hair after she gives me a cut. I was blessed that she took some time while here to spruce me up a bit.

During the day the boys played and had a blast. From eating push-ups to playing super heros they ran around, in and out of the tents and on the jungle gym. It was fun to watch them all interact. Even Miles was able to hang with the big boys.

Later that night after dinner, we pulled our out-door couch to the lawn and set the boys up on bean bags. Miles was already passed out but the rest of us watched “The Ant Bully” in the back yard. Later after Mason and Milo went to bed, the adults stayed up for round two. “Galaxy Quest”. If you haven’t seen it and you grew up with Star Trek, you have to rent it.

The whole experience was awesome. We’ve done the out-door theatre before at our old house in Oakland a handful of times, but this was the first time here. SO MUCH FUN. I just love watching movies outside. It’s the best to be seeing a film and then to look up and see the stars. It’s one of my favorite summertime activities for sure.

On Sunday, after a yummy big breakfast and lazily starting our day hanging in the backyard, Matt broke down the tents and he and I and the boys packed up for a spontaneous trip to Monterey. We decided to stay the night at Casa Munras and visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. They had a deal at the hotel that if you purchased your ticket through them, you received two days admittance for the price of a single day. What was great was it was the last day of their summer evening hours. So, when we arrived in Monterey and checked into the hotel, we headed straight for the aquarium. It was open until 8pm so we had a good couple of hours to walk around and see the sea life.

It really amazes me each time I visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The collection of creatures they have is phenomenal. My favorite by far, and I think Matt’s as well were the Sea Dragons. They are cousins to the Sea Horse and my goodness are they beautiful. There were a few in the tank and they appeared to have babies that sort of floated with them. I could have watched them for hours.

On the drive back we were all tired from our long adventure. The boys passed out and slept the entire way home and Matt and I could have, if given the chance. We made it home in time for dinner with Matt’s music partner and crazy as it sounds, he made music that night, after all of that. I loved listening to them play while working in the office. It’s been a while since they practiced over here and I hope it happens more often. If you haven’t heard their music, you can check out project e.l.f. either on their site or on itunes.

As a wrap up to the long weekend, enjoying the company of friends was wonderful and it was good to just pick up and go on Sunday. Not having a plan and winging it. When’s the last time you did that??!! Being spontaneous keeps things fresh and mixes them up a bit. I definitely came back ready for our week. Mason beginning pre-school and all of the projects that I have going on at work.

Your backyard movie set up is super cool! Sounds like a fantastic long weekend.

Carrie Hasson -what a wonderful family weekend. your backyard under the stars, the aquarium- it all looks like a beautiful dream!

amomslife -I love that first shot. I have to say, your great hair is the first thing I noticed about you at the Sonoma workshop. You have nice curls and clearly someone who knows how to work with them. I need to embrace my curls!I told my husband we need the setup next summer for backyard movies..so fun!We don’t get to the aquarium nearly enough even with it only an hour away. Need to add that to my list.

FMN Design -😉

Jeramy Sossaman -so cool. i’m going to download some of the tracks from itunes when i get home.

oh…your hair looks great by the way!

cheers!

FMN Design -We caught a glimpse or two of the shark. It was hanging out at the top of the tank in the corner. Kind of a bummer not to get a good look but there was so much more to see.

You should do the backyard movie. It’s AWESOME!

Yes, Matt’s been making music for years. He’s a keyboard/computer musician. I can dream for hours to his music.

Jeramy Sossaman -hey laura…looks like a fantastic weekend! i’ve never tried the movie in the backyard thing….looks super fun.

we LOVE the monterey aquarium. we stay down in aptos from time to time and try and make it down then. did you see the great white shark? they just got him / her?

i dig matt’s music. i didn’t know he was a musician. that’s super cool….right-o….take care. have a great week!

I’m Laura

Inspiration is what I thrive on.

I'm inspired by art, food, the written word.
By my children, my husband and the world around me.

I think that we're all here to contribute to one another with our ideas, our style and even our mundane, day to day ways of being. Sometimes I find inspiration from things that seem completely ordinary, but it's when you allow yourself to see the ordinary things in a new way that inspiration has a chance to spark and burn alive through each one of us.

I hope you enjoy your time here, and if you do, I would love to hear from you either in a comment or a personal note.